This patient’s circular ecchymotic patches were due to cupping. One of the clues that this was iatrogenic was the regular and repeated pattern on the skin.
Cupping is a centuries old treatment for pain relief (among other things) that involves applying glass globes or other hollow materials to the skin to create a vacuum. Traditionally, this vacuum is created by heating the air inside the vessel and then holding the vessel in place as the air cools. Practitioners may also use more modern instruments to induce the vacuum that are similar to those used to assist in vaginal deliveries. The mechanical devices leave these circular ecchymotic marks. The ecchymosis fades over time, and this procedure has been shown to significantly reduce myofascial neck and back pain in small trials.
It is important to recognize geometric patterns that are iatrogenic or due to abuse when evaluating skin findings. If skin findings do not follow dermatomal distributions, typical exanthem, or other classic patterns or presentations, there is the possibility that the pattern may be the result of neglect or abuse. On inspection, consider whether an odd pattern may have been caused from a belt buckle, striking instrument, furniture, medical equipment, or a hand strike.
This patient’s findings were consistent with his history of visiting a physical therapist for cupping. No treatment was required; the patient’s back pain from his car accident was improving, and the cupping marks were not troubling him.
Photo and text courtesy of Daniel Stulberg, MD, FAAFP, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque.